Blood donation in dire need

The National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) is appealing to people with blood types O and A to make donations, as its blood reserves are now only sufficient to cover one week.

A young man donates blood at the Hue Central Hospital in Thua Thien-Hue province on April 1

The NIHBT said there were only some 8,000 blood units left in its stockpile as at April 6.

The COVID-19 pandemic has discouraged many people from donating blood over the last two months. The institute received only 16,000 blood units in March, much lower than the 32,000 to 36,000 units donated in March of previous years.

Though the number of patients visiting hospitals for check-ups and treatment has declined in recent times, the NIHBT still requires around 700 blood units every day for hospitals in 25 cities and provinces nationwide.

There is a serious shortage of donated blood at present, it said, noting that blood types O and A are in greatest demand.

The NIHBT has also decided to suspend donation of blood types B and AB, since demand for these is lower than the amount already received.